I don't remember getting to English class, though here I was staring at the seat in which Casey should be sitting, but she's not. It was real; someone really did murder my best friend.

I could see people giving me sympathetic looks. It was just like last year all over again, Mrs. Charon talked about Casey and Steve, but I wasn't listening. All I could do was stare and hope she'd appear and shout 'surprise,' but I knew it would never happen.

..a terrible tragedy. An unbearable loss. It's days like today we need prayer in school...

I shook my head. Casey would be laughing at the thought of someone praying for her. She isn't religious in the least, but I bet when it was happening, she was praying for someone to help her.

The door opened, and Sydney walked in. She had been with Dewey in the 'interrogation' room; she gave Mrs. Charon a note and looked at me solemnly. "Kat, it's your turn."

Everyone turned to look at me as I grabbed my bag and stood up. Sidney rubbed my arm as I passed, but I couldn't even bring myself to acknowledge her.

I walked to Principal Himbrys office in a daze noticing Dewey, Sheriff Burke, and Principal Himbry were sitting talking about me, my family, and Casey's murder.

I slammed the door open, cutting them off; they all looked at me with guilty looks. "Hello, Katherine."

Looking at Sheriff Burke, I nodded in greeting, just feeling tired and lost inside "Sheriff Burke. Dewey," I said in acknowledgment.

Dewey shook his head at me with a severe look. "It's Deputy Riley today, Kat."

I nodded again in false agreement. "Okay, Deputy Dewey," they all looked at me, hesitant, obviously sensing my mood. I didn't have the best record in school or my life in general.

I kind of have an explosive temper and had been taken to a jail cell by Sheriff Burke more than once, so none of them knew how I would act with the news of my dead best friend.

Sheriff Burke motioned me to sit down and shut the door behind me. "So how is everything?".

Glaring at him, disgusted, I shook my head, angrily, "how do you think I'm doing?" Dewey put his hands on my shoulders to calm me down.

"We'll be brief, Katherine. The police have a few questions they'd like to ask you..." I glanced at Principal Himbry, who was giving me an encouraging look. I turned to Sheriff Burke and nod just as the lunch bell rang.

They asked me questions about my friendship with Casey, my home life, activities, and hobbies. "Right Kat, you've been very co-operative. I just have two more questions where were you the night Casey was killed, and do you like to hunt".

Stopping short, I scrutinized Sheriff Burke in the eyes silently, I was furious, and they all knew it once again; I felt hands on my shoulders. "Now we only have to ask you if you like to hunt because of your previous convictions of assault."

I stood up slowly, almost threateningly, and looked at the Sheriff seriously. "Casey was my best friend. I would do anything for that girl, and you're asking me if I like to hunt? How about you stop asking stupid questions and get out there and find her killer."

I stomped into the court area where I saw my friends sitting on the fountain, but I didn't care; my anger was through the roof. I kicked my bag across the court and started swearing at the same time.

My fellow students sitting at the outdoor tables eating lunch began whispering, looking over in my direction. I knew they were talking about me, speculation swirling in their minds.

Stu took his arms from around Tatum and ran to me, grabbing me, but I couldn't calm down. I was hysterical. "Kat, what's wrong," He asked me, looking worried.

I stopped and looked at him with tears running down my face and fell into his chest, hugging him tightly. I felt him put his arms around me and lean his head on mine.

"They fucking asked me I liked to hunt. She was my best friend," I mumbled into his chest and felt him hold me tighter. I always felt safe with Stu; he made me feel invulnerable.

I could hear Tatum moaning to Sid that Stu always leaves hers for me, but I didn't care; right now, I needed Stu, and she would just have to get over it.

Everyone at school says that Stu likes me, but he's never made a move he's definitely always touchy-feely, but we've never talked about it.

"Hunt? Why would they ask if you like to hunt?" Tatum sneered at me; another reason we don't get along is that she hates that Stu and I are really close.

I took my head out of Stu's chest and glared at her. I walked over to Billy, who had picked up my bag and took it out of his hands. I thanked him, and he winked at me in return.

Billy's not big on words, but I could always count on him.

I sat down next to Randy and scowled at him when he said, "Because their bodies were gutted," I saw Sydney flinch out of the corner of my eye.

"They didn't ask me if I like to hunt" I glowered at Tatum; how pathetic could one girl be? She was actually upset that they didn't ask her if she could hunt.

I pulled out my lunch, but I couldn't eat it, so I gave it to Randy just like when we were kids, back when my mom would forget I hate peanut butter, and I would swap with Randy.

Laying down on the fountain soaking in the sunbeams, almost letting me forget I wasn't laying with Casey as we talked about the guys in our class, hearing a smack and looked up to Stu looking at my legs while nursing his chest where Tatum must have smacked.

"There's no way a girl could have killed them. Plus, they only asked Kat because she went to juvie for that assault charge, right?" Stu declared, motioning to me.

"She was only there for a week. They can't hold that against her forever," Sidney said as she looked down in guilt. I went to juvie for protecting her, and she never forgot it.

Last year a friend of Cotton Weary tried to pressure Sid into taking her statement back, and I didn't take too well to some guy threatening my sister.

I heard Tatum scoff, "That is so sexist. The killer could easily be female, basic instinct" I love it when she pretends to know what she was talking about, it's adorable.

"That was an ice pick-not exactly the same," I told her, getting a dirty look back in return, Stu's eyes darted between Tatum and me, trying to decide who he should side with before looking at Tatum.

"Yeah, Casey and Steve were completely hollowed out. Takes a man to do something like that" I felt disturbed knowing that Stu was right, I'm strong, but I would never gut someone that's not a women's type of crime.

"He's right; this is a man's crime. A woman's crime usually involves strangulation, poisoning, stabbing, or hit and run. A girl or woman wouldn't think of gutting them," I said with a heavy heart and a lump in my throat.

I turn to my sister, who has been very quiet through this whole conversation, "How do you gut someone?" she mumbles quietly to herself as we all look at her and nod thoughtfully.

"You take a knife and slit from the groin to the sternum" we all groan at Stu and throw anything we had in his direction.

"It's called tact, you fuck rag," Billy stated when he saw the look on Sidney's face.

"Hey, Stu? Didn't you use to date Casey?" I heard Sid ask him, but she knows full well he did because she was one of the many people who thought he was only dating Casey to get close to me.

Stu looked taken back and a little off guard. "For about two seconds," he spat out, still in shock as his eyes drifted to mine and then away again.

"Before she dumped him for Steve," Randy half-whispered to Tatum, who looked pissed.

"I thought you dumped her for me," I rolled my eyes at her melodramatics.

I sighed heavily, picking at my nails, "I did. He's full of shit" I glimpsed up catching Stu's eyes and knew he was lying. He always squints when he lies.

"And are the police aware you dated the victim?" Randy questioned him seriously as I huffed in exasperation.

"What are you saying? That Stu killed her or something?" I challenged Randy, who shrugged his shoulders.

"It would certainly improve his high school Q," he muttered quietly, obviously sensing my annoyance, he may be my old friend, but Stu was one of my best friends.

I turned to look at Stu, who was staring back at me. "Stu was with me last night," Tatum announced as she stared me in the eyes, almost like she was trying to flaunt it.

"Oooooh...before or after he sliced and diced," Randy asked as he shoved some grapes into his mouth.

"Fuck you, nut case. Where were you last night?" Tatum questioned loudly, looking annoyed at the accusations.

"Working, thank you," He said, amused, making Tatum scrunch her face in confusion.

"Oh? At the video store, I thought they fired your sorry ass" She smirked knowingly.

"Twice," Randy retorted, eating another grape looking unfazed.

"I didn't kill anybody," Stu said quietly, and almost sadly, I looked at him and gave him a small smile showing him I believed him.

"No one's saying you did," Billy told him as he looked up from Sidney's side, finally weighing in on the situation.

"Thanks, Buddy" Stu nodded back at him. The three of us always had each other's backs.